Overview
The first local player on the roster since Peoria Heights, Ill., native Amy Fuller played for the Braves in 2003-04 and 2004-05, Rachel will compete for the starting position at point guard ... Has one year of eiligibility remaining after a stellar two-year career at Illinois Central College ... Provided the Braves with an experienced point guard, behind four-year starter Jen Brown ... Will see an increased role in her final season ... She is the only returning player to have more assists than turnovers last season ... Very good at penetrating and finding an open player.
2006-07 Season (Junior)
Played in all 31 games, making three starts ... One of two players on the roster to have more assists than turnovers, she was third on the team with 68 assists ... Averaged 2.1 points per game and 1.6 rebounds per game ... Had six assists to go along with five points and two steals off the bench to help spark Bradley to a victory against Western Illinois ... Scored a season-high six points in just 11 minutes off the bench at Illinois-Chicago ... Also had six assists in a home win against Wichita State ... Netted six points in the final regular-season game of the season against UNI.
Illinois Central College
The career assist leader at Illinois Central College, she helped the Cougars to an NJCAA National Championship as a sophomore ... Finished her career with 523 assists during her two seasons at the East Peoria school ... Earned third-team NJCAA All-American honors as a sophomore and was named MVP of the Regional Tournament ... Picked as a First-Team All-Region selection in 2005-06 ... Sent the NJCAA Tournament record for assists in a game with 15 and dished out 32 assists in the three-day National Tournament finals.
High School
An honorable mention all-state selection as a senior at Peoria Notre Dame High School, she earned second-team all-area honors and was a first-team all-conference choice in 2003-04 ... Also lettered in soccer for the Irish, earning all-state honors in her final prep season and helped lead Notre Dame to a fourth-place state finish.
Personal
The daughter of Barbara and William Merriman, Rachel was born Oct. 22, 1985 in Peoria ... The youngest of two children, she has an older brother; Jordan (25) ... Majoring in health science.
